The present invention relates to a non-pressurized algaecide feeder for treatment of water in a swimming pool or like body of water for swimming and the like, and in particular providing a controlled feed of a liquid algaecide with the recirculation of filtered pool water.
Swimming pools, large hot tub units and like pool units are widely used in both commercial installations, residential and domestic installations and the like. It is important to treat the water for health purposes and particularly to prevent the growth of bacteria and other foreign matter within the water. Conventionally, the water is treated by manual addition of chlorine and a suitable algaecide, and particularly a conventional algaecide, such as copper sulfate which functions to kill algae. It is important to control the quantity of algaecide rather accurately in order to maintain effective treatment of the water without adversely effecting the character of the water for purposes of use by humans. Presently, the algaecide in the form of liquid, granular, and tablets are manually added to the pool water with a controlled distribution and disintegration during feeding. If the appropriate amount of the algaecide is not appropriately fed and added to the water, it will adversely effect the esthetics of the pool. For example, if an excessive amount of algae exists, it tends to discolor the liner, the concrete or the other base surface of the pool.
Chlorine and similar acids have been fed through pressurized injector valve units. For example, a "Bromidater" is sold by the Hayward Company for the introduction of chlorine and other acid like materials. Such systems require relatively expensive components. A prior art water algae purification device for swimming pools and the like is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,116 which issued Jun. 19, 1990 and discloses a special electrical voltage cell unit supplying silver and copper ions to swimming pool water with the water being fed to the pool with the filtered water. Therefore, various liquid feeding systems have been used in many other applications, algaecide feed has universally to the knowledge of the inventors involved, manual addition of algaecide in various forms to the water.
Although heavy chlorine and like sanitizer materials are often used and even required in commercial-type pools available to various members of the public may also attack algae, the heavy dosage used is not generally found acceptable in private pools and often in pools available to the public. Further, if a pool is used by a substantial number of people, chlorine may not avoid algae formation in the pool. In private smaller pools, algaecide addition is generally the protective process used to control and prevent algae growth. A further advantage of algaecide use is it's continued effectiveness when exposed to sunlight. Thus, the ultraviolet energy of the sun may destroy the effectiveness of sanitizer such as chlorine and ammonia based materials, but does not adversely affect algaecide materials.
Algae may rapidly develop within a pool which is not properly maintained. Algae within a pool tends to stain the surface to which engages. Once created, the algae must be killed using chlorine, with or without an algaecide, and the surface then mechanically cleaned using a brush or the like. The cleaning process is time consuming, and costly. Thus, costs in hundreds of dollars may result in severe cases and particularly if the pool must be drained for proper cleaning of algae. Further, if not cleaned promptly and thoroughly, the surface may be permanently stained; with an aesthetic damaged surface. Generally, pool owners personally, or through a regular custom service by a pool maintenance service, manually introduce a algaecide into the pool water. The effectiveness is directly related to the proper attention to the addition of the algaecide as required, which requires a conscious effort on the part of the pool owner. The required algaecide additions must be regularly attended to, depending upon the environment. Thus, various algae spoors are present in the air, and the rate of algae formation varies with environmental conditions such as temperature and rain as well as the use of the pool. The amount of algaecide required will thus vary with the conditions for growth, the size of the pool and the particular algaecide used. Thus, the algaecide may be purchased as solid granules or in a water solution of varying concentrations. Typical heaviest solutions includes 60 to 70 percent water and the balance an algaecide, although the inventor has found that solution with 21/2 to 5 percent algaecide are satisfactory for treating pools where algaecide is added frequently. The cost for good quality solution are generally in the range of fifteen to twenty dollars a quart.
There is a need however for a very simple, reliable and cost effective automated system of feeding algaecide to the water for use in swimming pools, spas and other similar pool facilities used by various people.